Wapakoneta nets 1st WBL title since 2001

September 30, 2013

Wapakoneta Redskins senior Amanda Sims is pictured during the Western Buckeye League girls tennis tournament Saturday at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima. Sims and junior Carly Buzzard combined to win the second doubles title. (Staff photo/Brad Frank)

The Wapakoneta Redskins won three of the five brackets at the Western Buckeye League girls tennis tournament Saturday to clinch the WBL title for the 2013 season.

Wapak won the tournament which concluded Saturday and previously went 9-0 in league matches during the regular season. The combination gave the Redskins their first WBL championship since 2001.

Accounting for Wapak’s three league championships Saturday, Allie Zofkie won the second singles title, Rachel Roberts claimed the third singles bracket and Carly Buzzard and Amanda Sims emerged victorious at second doubles.

Kiersten Wellons and Chelsea Myers were the runner-up in the first singles bracket Saturday.

“It was great. My four No. 1 seeds came through, even though Chelsea and Kiersten came in second,” Wapak coach Mike Klock said about taking the league title this season. “Winning it outright was awesome. It made homecoming night even better.”

Klock was named WBL Coach of the Year for the 2013 season.

The Redskins earned 10 points each for their first-place finish in the regular season standings and in the league tournament. Their combined 20 points edged second-place Shawnee’s 18.

Except for the first singles bracket, all four of Wapak’s No. 1 seeds reached Saturday’s semifinals after the first day of the tournament on Thursday.

“Both of them played fantastic,” Klock said. “Allie struggled in the semifinal because she played a pusher, even though she beat her good in the regular season. But that’s what it’s all about in the tournament, and Rachel was unbelievable, to win in two sets in both the semifinals and finals.”